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An upcoming auction will see a unique piece of Beatles memorabilia going up for sale - arrest papers for John Lennon and George Harrison.

The Beatles had always used drugs. In their Hamburg era the band were plied with amphetamines and cheap speed in order to keep playing, often going beyond the limits of physical endurance.

Yet when the group entered the psychedelic era their music seemed to be soaked in drugs. Fans attempting to unravel The Beatles lyrics found multiple supposed referenced, most notoriously 'Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds'.

However the authorities were eager to clamp down on their lifestyle, and sanctioned a series of drugs busts. In just one year both John Lennon and George Harrison was busted, in two notorious cases.

Police raided Lennon's London flat in 1968, finding a quantity of resin. Fined £150 the offence would have repercussions for the singer when he attempted to move to the United States.

Goerge Harrison meanwhile was busted while attending Sir Paul McCartney's wedding to his first wife Linda. The guitarist's home was raised, with Harrison later receiving a fine.

The cases are part of a notorious series of drugs busts in the late 60s overseen by D.S. Pilcher. The police officer targeted rock stars for their supposed debauched lifestyle, and was later convicted of corruption himself.

Amongst the other stars raided by Pilcher were Eric Clapton as well as Rolling Stones pair Mick Jagger and Keith Richards.

The papers relating to the cases are set to be auctioned online later today (October 29th).